Rock-away horse



Oct. 27,1959 J. F. OBLAZNEY ROCK-AWAY; HORSE Filed June 4, 1958 F/GZ INVENTOR. JOSEPH F OBLAZ/VE) m myzmw ATTORN thee Z,9l0,303 Patented Oct.27, 1959 ROCK-AWAY HORSE Joseph F. Oblazney, Camden, NJ.

Application June 4, 1958, Serial No. 739,820

2 Claims. (Cl. 280 --'1.177)

This invention relates to an amusement device, and more particularly toa rocking horse for use by children.

The object of the invention is to provide a rocking horse which isadapted to support a child, and wherein the horse of the presentinvention can. be actuated in a novel manner so as to cause the horse totravel along a floor surface or other area with a highly pleasing andnovel effect.

Another object of'the invention is to provide a rock away horse which isadapted to support a child thereon, and wherein the rock away horse isconstructed so that as the child moves his or her body back and forth,the device will travel along to thereby provide amusement and recreationto the user. v i

A further object of the invention is to provide a rocking horse which isextremely simple and inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent in the course of thefollowing description.

In the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this application, and inwhich like numerals are usedto designate like parts throughout the same:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the rocking horse of the presentinvention.

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 showing the parts in a differentposition.

Figure 3 is a front elevational view of. the present in vention.

Figure 4 is a sectional View taken on line 44 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Figure 1.

Referring in detail to the drawing, the numeral indicates the rockinghorse of the present invention, and the rocking horse 10 includes a pairof spaced parallel curved or arcuate outer runners or rockers which areeach indicated by the numeral 11. There is further provided a pair ofspaced parallel inner rockers which are indicated by the numeral 12, andas shown in Figures 1 and 2, the outer rockers 11 are offset withrespect to the inner rockers 1'2.

Arranged adjacent to the rear end of the rockers 11 are slots 13.Arranged adjacent the front end of the inner rockers 12 are slots 14.There is further provided front and rear axles or shafts which areindicated by the numerals 15 and 16. The front axle 15 extends throughthe front portions of the outer rockers 11 and through the slots 14 inthe inner rockers 12. The rear axle 16 extends through the slots 13, andthe rear axle 16 also extends through the rear portions of the innerrockers 12. As shown in Figure 4, sleeves 17 are mounted on the axles.

The numeral 18 indicates a support member which is adapted to provide asupport for the child using the device, and extending upwardly from thesupport member 18 and secured thereto in any suitable manner is a headpiece 19. The numeral 20 indicates a tail piece or back stop whichextends upwardly from the rear of the support member 18 which is securedthereto. The headpiece 19 is provided with a handle 21 which is adaptedto be gripped by the child sitting on the support member 18.

There is further provided a foot rest assembly which is indicatedgenerally by the numeral 22, and the foot rest assembly 22 includes afirst portion 23 which is secured below the support member 18 in anysuitable manner, as for example by means of securing elements 24.Depending from the first portion 23 are spaced apart second portions 25,and foot engaging members 26 are arranged at the lower endsof the secondportions 25.

The numeral 27 designates each of a pair of spaced apart rear legs, anda horizontally disposed cross piece 28 extends between the upper andrear legs 27 and is secured thereto or formed integral therewith. Thecross piece 28 is secured below the support member 18 as for example bymeans of a securing element 29. The lower end of the rear legs 27 areconnected to the sleeve 17 on the rear axle 16, as for example as shownin Figures 1 and 4. Secured to the lower front portion of the supportmember 18 is a plate 30, and the plate 30 may be secured in place bysecuring elements 31. The numeral 32 indicates each of a pair of spacedapart front legs, and the upper portions of the front legs 32 areinnerconnected by means of a top piece 33. The top piece 33 is hingedlyconnected to the plate 30 by means of a hinge 34.

Extending between the pair of front legs 32 and connected thereto in anysuitable manner is a horizontally disposed brace 35, Figure 3. Thenumeral 36 indicates a guide member which has its front end connected tothe brace 35, and a rod 37 is telescopically or adjustably connected tothe guide member 36. The numeral 38 indicates a bracket which is securedbelow the support member 18 as at 39, and the bracket 38 is connected tothe rear end of the rod 37. Spaced apart washers or discs 40 and 41 aremounted on a guide member 36 and rod 37, and a coil spring 42 isinterposed or positioned between these discs 40 and 41.

From the foregoing it is apparent that there has been provided a rockinghorse which will provide much amusement and recreation to the user. Inuse, a child is adapted to sit on the support member 18, and the handle21 is adapted to be conveniently gripped in the childs hand. The feet ofa child engages the members 26, and it will be seen that as the childrocks back and forth, the horse 10 will move forward so as toprovide adevice which is highly appealing and entertaining for the child.

Thus, it will be seen that there has been provided a childrens rockinghorse which has two sets of rockers and wherein the device creeps aheadas a child rocks on it. The tubing or sleeve arrangement as indicated bythe numeral 17 serves to insure that there Will be no binding in thevarious moving parts. The holes and slots in the rockers are arrangedoff center as shown in the drawing.

In use as a child rocks to the position shown in Figure 1, his weight orher weight is on the front. legs 32, and since the front legs 32 arehinged at the top as at 34, and since the rockers 12 are free of thefloor at this time, the rockers can fall ahead at distance allowed orpermitted by the slots of the rockers, which may be about 4 inches forbest performance, but this dimension can vary depending upon the sizeand height of the parts. As this takes place, more pressure is put inthe pressure spring 42 so that the parts will assume the position shownin Figure 2 until the device rocks back from the position shown inFigure 2 to that shown in Figure 1. In the position shown in Figure 2,the device rests on the rockers 12 so that the rockers 1t) are releasedwhereby the rockers 11 are free as before.

The pressure spring 42 then throws the front legs and V rockers 11forward into a position such as that shown in Figure 1. In each forwardand back rock, the rockers move ahead from their previous positions.

In actual practice, the device may be made so that it is highlyattractive, and the head 19 may be of any desired configuration. A childis adapted to have his or her feet rest on or engage the members 26.

The rocking horse of the present invention is arranged so that it creepsahead as a child rocks on it. The front legs are hinged to the supportmember and the rear, legs are secured solid to the support member. Thereis a pair of rockers on each side. Slots are arranged in each rocker sothat when it is rocked forward, the inner rockers are free at the floor,and as the front legs are hinged, the horse leans forward, and the innerrockers move ahead the distance allowed in the slots and at the sametime the front legs add more pressure to the coil spring. When it isrocked back, the outer rockers and the front legs are free of the floorand the compressed coil spring returns them back in position.

Minor changes and shapes, size and rearrangement of details comingwithin the field of invention claimed may be resorted to in actualpractice, if desired.

I claim:

1. In a rocking horse, a pair of spaced parallel opposed outer rockers,a pair of spaced parallel inner rockers positioned between said outerrockers, each of said outer rockers being provided with a slot adjacentthe rear end, each of said inner rockers being provided with a slotadjacent each front end, front and rear axles extending through saidrockers and said axles extending through the respective slots in saidrockers, sleeves mounted on said axles, a support member having a backstop and a head piece secured thereto, a handle connected to said headpiece, a foot rest assembly including a first portion secured below saidsupport member, spaced apart second portions depending from said firstportion, foot engaging members at the lower ends of said secondportions, a pair of spaced apart rear legs having their ends connectedto the sleeves on the rear axle, a cross piece extending between theupper ends of said rear legs and said cross piece being secured beneathsaid support member, a plate mounted below the front portion of thesupport member, a pair of spaced apart front legs having their endsconnected to the sleeves of the front axle, a top piece connecting theupper ends of the said front legs together, said top piece beinghingedly connected to the said plate, a horizontally disposed braceextending between said front legs and connected thereto, a guide memberhaving a front end connected to said brace, a rod adjustably connectedto said guide member, a bracket secured below said support member, saidbracket being connected at the rear end of said rod, spaced paralleldiscs mounted on said guide member and rod, and a coil spring positionedbetween said pair of discs.

2. In a rocking horse, a pair of spaced parallel opposed outer rockers,a pair of spaced parallel inner rockers s positioned between said outerrockers, front and rear having their ends connected to the sleeves onthe rear axle, a crosspiece extending between the upper ends of saidrear legs and said crospiece being secured beneath said support member,a plate mounted below the front portion of the support member, a pair ofspaced apart front legs having their ends connected to the sleeves ofthe front axle, a top piece connecting the upper ends of the said frontlegs together, said top piece being hingedly connected to the saidplate, a horizontally disposed brace extending between said front legsand connected thereto, a guide member having a front end connected tosaid brace, a rod adjustably connected to said guide member, a bracketsecured below said support member, said bracket being connected at therear end of said rod, spaced parallel discs mounted on said guidemember'and rod, and a coil spring positioned between said pair of discs.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,743,475 MacNerland May 1, 1956 2,765,177 Hawkins Oct. 2, 1956 FOREIGNPATENTS 134,456 Great Britain Nov. 6, 1919 259,484 Switzerland June 16,1949 277,697 Switzerland Dec. 1, 1951

